ONCE UPON A SHTETL


I spent this last Shabbos in Williamsburg. Wow. I spent most of my time with my jaw hanging open. Somehow, some way, the chassidim managed to transplant Russia/Poland/Hungary of 1935 to Brooklyn, NY. Everything was amazing, the people were warm and friendly and all in all, I had a wonderful Shabbos.

I also made an interesting discovery. Elias is a - not only common - but an 'elite' Bobov name (they pronounce it "El-yas"). Yes, you read right. Bobov. (Mum, Dad, hold on to your seats). They are a type of Chassidim, apparently from Poland, and they look like this.




I know, I was thinking the same thing. I am also pretty sure Grampa didn't grow payos since I've been in NY.

I assured the Spinka and Saatmer women I was conversing with that, to my knowledge, I had no Polish relatives, let alone Polish relatives who were Bobover Chassidim. Yes, really, and my family really is from Iraq. And yes, there really are Jews in Singapore.

But I have decided to investigate this further, perhaps when I return after the summer. I have already made plans to meet up with some Bobover Chassidim in Boro Park and try to trace my roots back to Poland. Stop laughing, its possible.

I always knew there had to be a deeper meaning behind my great attachment to Chassidus. Dad, please start digging out old photos, we'll go over them together soon. I am sure if we look hard enough, we can find some payos.

Could I really be a Bobover Chossid ?

OF DIAPERS AND EGOS


My self-esteem took a bit of a plunge today.

I was tasked with the responsibility of changing a diaper (the child in question shall remain unnamed due to her age). I didn't seek it out or anything, I just happened to be there.

Mum (of child) : She needs a diaper change.

Me : Oh, shall I do it ?

Mum : Only if you want to....

Me : Its no problem.

Mum : Have you ever changed a diaper before ?

Me : Sure.

Mum : Really ?

Me : Well.... once.

Child : Shell <thats what she calls me> change diaper !

Me (to child) : Ok go get the diaper.

[Child brings diaper and I proceed to change her. I am almost done when I can't seem to get those sticky tab things to work. Sigh. I struggle silently as the minutes tick by, knowing that very soon, someone is going to notice that I am having trouble with the diaper. I am not disappointed.]

Sister : Its on backwards.

Mother (from kitchen) : What?

Sister (to Mother in kitchen): ITS ON BACKWARDS.

Sister (to me) : Its on backwards. The cartoons are supposed to face the front.

Right. I knew that.

Just as I am putting the finishing touches to the (properly fitted) diaper, the child asks me in quiet, patient diplomacy : "Finished ?"

Lesson for the day : You know you've taken too long to change a diaper when the child in question asks if you're finished.

The madness continues.

Today, the last bit of our Pirkei Avos class was interrupted by 2 burly men, Detective Vinny and Sergeant Tony from the 71st Precinct, who came to educate the young maidelehs at Machon Chana about the crime in Crown Heights. (I noted that their biceps appeared larger than their heads, but could not be sure. After class I conferred with Aviva on this issue, who confirmed my observation.)

I have never met a real-life typical Italian-type Nu Yawker until today. Detective Vinny has apparently been working as a police officer in Crown Heights for the last 20 years. His vocabulary suggested intimate knowledge of our community - 'Pesach', 'yeshiva' and 'Raskins'. I was impressed. And it was almost funny to see this Tony Soprano-type personality addressing a group of bewildered Machon Chana girls, eyes round like saucers, hanging on to every (accented) word.

Anyways the nice detectives told us to be careful and to be aware of our surroundings. They also told us not to get into cars with strangers (yes, even if they offered us candy). And, in the event that we are approached by a stranger in a car who has a gun, run. Why ? Because (and I quote) "At least if you run, you'll get lucky if the guy has a bad shot. If you get into the car, I can gaurantee you that it will be the end of your life."

I can hear the choppers above me and the sirens a few blocks away as I write this.

I love living in Crown Heights.

Chassidus teaches that everything we see and experience, positive or negative, is a bracha (blessing) from Hashem. The only issue is whether the bracha is revealed or hidden.

Revealed brachas are easy to identify and often welcomed with open arms. The hidden brachas are sometimes a little more difficult to accept, and may (incorrectly) cause us to believe that Hashem is not listening to us.

I learned an amazing thing in school 3 days ago - that the mere belief in the fact that there is a hidden bracha in everything 'negative' we see in and of itself causes the bracha to be revealed. This is one of the powers of being b'simcha.

Isn't that amazing? I thought so. Talk about the power of positive thinking. Hang in there, Moshiach is coming.

In honour of Lag B'Omer I wanted to share this beautiful picture of the Rebbe at a Lag B'Omer parade. Also, some of my other favourite Rebbe pix. Smile everyone, Moshiach is coming!

More pix of the chuppah.



I especially like this one, I think its positively magical.





Mazal tov Rochi and Chaim Ber Kaminker ! May your home be an everlasting edifice on the foundations of Torah and Mitzvos and your life blessed with happiness in all things!!

These pix were taken as the kallah arrived.

While I was waiting for the wedding party to arrive last night from the kabbalos ponim, I snapped these shots of 770.

I am convinced that I am living in Beirut. Almost every day there are new postings (http://www.crownheights.info/) about burglaries and muggings in the neighbourhood. It has reached a stage where I am afraid to go to the laundromat (a man was shot in the face opposite the laundromat 2 weeks ago). The following pictures are a mere snapshot of all the drama thats been going on in Crown Heights in the last 2 weeks. Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words. Sometimes I just gawk at the pictures, wondering if I am looking at scenes from a movie. But alas, no, they were taken a few blocks from where I live.

YES that is blood on the pavement from where the guy was shot in the face.

This guy was being apprehended after attempting to break into an apartment here 2 days ago.

It was picture day at Machon Chana yesterday. What fun. I snapped a few pix while everyone was waiting for the photographer to get ready. (this explains why I am in none of the big group pix).


All of us with Rabbi Majeski, Mrs Katzman and Mrs Teleshevsky outside the Machon Chana dorm on President Street.

With Mrs Labkowsky.

Evidently The Pout is the smile of the new generation.

Me with the South American contigent.

Gut Shabbos everyone....

Rabbi Majeski is the most inspiring educator I have ever come across. Perhaps I am biased because he teaches my favourite subject, Chassidus. However, I have come to realise that Chassidus is my favourite subject because he teaches it. A sort of chicken-and-egg situation, if you will.

Today Rabbi Majeski conveyed an idea in our Pirkei Avos class that really inspired me. He was speaking about what it means to be a Jew, what it means to be identified as a Jew and how it plays itself out in the 'pressures' of society at large. Here goes.

Tefilin. This funny-looking huge black box that you stick in the middle of your forehead. Another black box strapped to your arm. What's wrong with these people ? Tzitzis. Funny little strings hanging from your waist. Whats that about anyways? I wish they didn't do that. Makes the rest of us Jews look weird. Guys attracting so much attention with such modes of dress. Must be something wrong with them. Its so tempting to say, "I don't want to look funny. I want to look like everyone else."

Now consider a different scenario. An austronaught, preparing for his journey into space. What a funny looking outfit ! Tubes sticking out everywhere, not to mention a huge glass ball over his face. He's even walking funny, from side to side. He can't even walk straight ! Must be something wrong with him. Yet, what do we see? Everyone cheering him on, his family, standing tall and proud as he walks around in his space suit. His whole community, so proud to be associated with him.

Here's the key : both the astronaught and the Yid are on a special mission. We just need to recognise it.

I think many of us tend to forget our mission (I know I do). Davening gets a little tedious. Checking for hechsherim can make you go cross-eyed. Contacting your Rav whenever a spoon winds up touching a pot it shouldn't have (especially when you're in NY and your Rav lives in Singapore!!!). But its all part of our mission. And, boy, are we privileged to be appointed for this special mission.

Let's embark on our mission with pride, funny clothing and all. Moshiach is already here.

Yesterday's Hayom Yom was particularly inspiring, and when I read it, I thought "this has to make the blog". Here goes.

"Our teacher the Baal Shem Tov said : Every single thing one sees or hears is an instruction for his conduct in the service of G-d. This is the idea of avoda, service, to comprehend and discern in all things a way in which to serve G-d."

Have you done a mitzvah today? :-)

I leave you with one of my favourite pictures of the Rebbe. Smile, Moshiach is coming!!

So, the weather is getting progressively warmer but we're still having some pretty cool days. I can't decide whether to put my winter coat away. 8 months here and I still cant figure out what to wear with this weather. All in all, though, spring has definitely hit Montgomery Street in a big way. Trees are in gorgeous bloom and the kids are out playing in the afternoons in a way I never noticed before. I guess I arrived in NY in the autumn when things were already winding down for the winter and mummies were already nudging their kids into the houses earlier in the day.

I was so inspired by the greenery (I never thought Brooklyn could look quite so beautiful) that I carried my Canon with me on Sunday, and while babysitting, managed to grab a few shots of the neighbourhood.

Although everything may be looking pretty, however, the safety situation in CH could be better. Matters have worsened over the last 2 weeks or so, with muggings every few days. There was even a shootout last week 2 blocks away from me. http://www.crownheights.info/?itemid=2094 has the full story, including some very interesting pictures.

I know this posting is a little late, but a hearty MAZAL TOV to Nosson Hoen, former bochur who was on shlichus in Singapore, on his engagement to Ilana Saul. I went to the lechaim very briefly and didn't manage to snap any pix, unfortunately. May we only have simchas!